Samsung has seriously upgraded the Galaxy Book's aesthetic in
this sequel, and the switch to Snapdragon should make it much more appealing to
anyone who needs to be able to work on the go. The lightweight design makes it
even better for travelling, even with the new metal construction. The only
question mark is really performance. We haven't properly tested any Snapdragon
850 laptop yet, but the 835 series suffered under heavy load, and with only 4GB
of RAM the Galaxy Book 2 is unlikely to prove a powerhouse.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2
full review
We liked but didn’t love the first Galaxy Book when it
launched in late 2017, but with the Galaxy Book 2 Samsung has made some
promising changes - not least the switch to a 4G Qualcomm chipset - that have
us excited for the follow-up.
Luckily for us, Qualcomm gave us the chance to take a look at
the new always-connected PC, so here’s what we think.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2:
Price & Availability
The Galaxy Book 2 is due to come out in the US on 2 November,
where it will cost $999 - though depending on how you buy it, you may have to
pay extra for data. At launch it will be available online from AT&T,
Microsoft and Samsung, though it should also make it into physical AT&T,
Verizon and Sprint stores later that month.
As for the UK, we don’t really know yet. Samsung hasn’t
announced when - or even if - the device will reach the UK market, so stay
tuned for more info.
Always-on,
always-connected
By far the biggest and most important change in the new
Galaxy Book is something that you can’t spot just from looking at it. After
using an Intel Core i5 processor in last year’s model, Samsung has switched
things up and replaced the Intel chip with a Snapdragon 850, the latest Windows
processor from Qualcomm, a company best known for its mobile phone processors. That
makes the Galaxy Book 2 the second device announced that uses the 850, along
with the Lenovo C630, joining the three devices - from HP, Lenovo, and Acer -
that used the previous Snapdragon 835.
A new processor might not sound too exciting a change, but it
offers two key features. First up, the Galaxy Book 2 will be capable of
connecting to 4G LTE internet - just like your phone - meaning you can work
online or stream video without worrying about finding a Wi-Fi connection. Second,
Qualcomm’s processors are much more power efficient than Intel’s, and so
Samsung says that the Galaxy Book 2 will keep running for up to 20 hours of
continuous use - in line with figures we’ve seen from previous Windows on
Snapdragon devices, which managed as much as 22 hours in our battery testing.
There is a downside though, and the previous Snapdragon 835
devices suffered noticeably slower performance than equivalently priced Intel
rivals - something we’re expecting to see continued with the 850. With only 4GB
of RAM and 128GB of storage to go with it, we’re worried the Galaxy Book 2
could slow if you try anything trickier than checking your emails.
Past the plastic
One of our biggest criticisms of the original Galaxy Book was
its plastic construction, which robbed the device of the premium feel you’d expect
at the hefty price point. Luckily it appears Samsung was listening, and the
Galaxy Book 2 boasts a much slicker metal frame, which feels premium and
surprisingly sturdy for the weight - a relatively back-friendly 839g. It helps
that it’s slim - just 7.9mm thick - and that the detachable magnetic keyboard
is a lightweight plastic offering that avoids weighing the device down too much.
Oh, and that keyboard is included with the device, along with an S Pen -
another nice touch from Samsung.
Another tweak to the design comes in the new rear kickstand -
also made out of metal - which hinges off the main body to allow you to prop
the tablet/laptop hybrid up at a variety of angles. Building this into the body
means it feels much tougher and steadier than the flimsy folding covers most
similar devices use - another little detail that should help justify that $999
price tag. While the previous device came in two sizes, this is limited to the
larger 12in display option, which at 2160x1440 offers a bright, crisp AMOLED
screen.
Audio comes packing Dolby Atmos support, with speakers tuned
by AKG, so sound should be solid. As for ports, you get two USB-C slots (one of
which is used for charging), along with microSD, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a
fingerprint sensor. Then there’s an 8MP camera on the rear, and 5MP on the
front for Skype and selfies.
Finally, a word on software: as with the other Snapdragon
devices, this ships with Windows 10S, but has a free optional upgrade to
Windows 10 Pro. Both have pros and cons - 10S limits you to apps from the
Windows app store, cutting out a lot of the PC ecosystem. Upgrading to Pro can
introduce compatibility issues though, as not all software seems to play nice
with Qualcomm’s chips, and might slightly reduce the mammoth battery life.
Verdict
Samsung has seriously upgraded the Galaxy Book's aesthetic in
this sequel, and the switch to Snapdragon should make it much more appealing to
anyone who needs to be able to work on the go. The lightweight design makes it
even better for travelling, even with the new metal construction. The only question
mark is really performance. We haven't properly tested any Snapdragon 850
laptop yet, but the 835 series suffered under heavy load, and with only 4GB of
RAM the Galaxy Book 2 is unlikely to prove a powerhouse.
Source: techadvisor.co.uk
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